Power swing door with virtual handle gesture control

Abstract

A non-contact obstacle detection (NCOD) system and a virtual handle assembly for a motor vehicle and a method of operating the non-contact obstacle detection system and a closure member using a virtual handle assembly are disclosed. The NCOD system includes a main electronic control unit. At least one non-contact obstacle sensor is coupled to the main electronic control unit for detecting obstacles. The control unit is configured to detect the obstacle and cease opening of the closure member in response to the obstacle being detected. Additionally, the control unit is configured to release a latch and apply power to a motor in response to the obstacle not being detected. The virtual handle assembly includes at least one virtual handle sensor for detecting a hand and maintaining a distance to the hand by operating an actuation system to move the closure member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A virtual handle assembly comprising:
 a handle housing;   at least one virtual handle sensor disposed in said handle housing for detecting a hand in proximity to the virtual handle assembly;   a sensor microcontroller disposed in said handle housing and coupled to said at least one virtual handle sensor and in communication with an actuation system coupled to a closure member and configured to:   detect one of a gesture and a hand being placed in proximity the at least one virtual handle sensor, and   command movement of the closure member by the actuation system in response to the detection one of a gesture and a hand being placed in proximity to said at least one virtual handle sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The virtual handle assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , further including a driver microcontroller and accent LED printed circuit board disposed within a compartment of said handle housing and including a plurality of multi-color LEDs and said sensor microcontroller disposed thereon. 
     
     
         3 . The virtual handle assembly as set forth in  claim 2 , further including a handle infrared sensor printed circuit board electrically coupled to said driver microcontroller and accent LED printed circuit board including a sensor LED and said at least one virtual handle sensor disposed thereon. 
     
     
         4 . The virtual handle assembly as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein said at least one virtual handle sensor includes an infrared photometric sensor in communication with said sensor microcontroller via I 2 C communications. 
     
     
         5 . The virtual handle assembly as set forth in  claim 3 , further including a cover plate extending over said driver microcontroller and accent LED printed circuit board and said handle infrared sensor printed circuit board and defining a plurality of graphic openings for allowing light from said plurality of multi-color LEDs to pass through said cover plate and said cover plate additionally defining sensor openings each aligned with said sensor LED and said at least one virtual handle sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The virtual handle assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said gesture is an auto close gesture and said sensor microcontroller is additionally configured to command closure of the closure member by the actuation system in response to the detection of the auto close gesture. 
     
     
         7 . The virtual handle assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said gesture is an auto open gesture and said sensor microcontroller is additionally configured to command opening of the closure member by the actuation system in response to the detection of the auto open gesture. 
     
     
         8 . The virtual handle assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said sensor microcontroller is coupled to an NCOD system and additionally configured to determine whether the NCOD system is triggered during movement of the closure member. 
     
     
         9 . A method of moving a closure member using a virtual handle assembly comprising the steps of:
 determining a position of a hand relative to the virtual handle assembly;   determining whether the hand is making a gesture in a gesture recognition mode state;   moving the closure member in response to determining that the hand is making a gesture;   determining whether the closure member moving triggers a NCOD system; and   transitioning back to the gesture recognition mode state in response to the NCOD system being triggered.   
     
     
         10 . The method as set forth in  claim 9 , further including the steps of:
 initializing a wait for lock/unlock state;   remaining in the wait for lock/unlock state until an unlock signal is received;   transitioning from the wait for lock/unlock state to the gesture recognition mode state in response to receiving the unlock signal; and   returning to the step of determining the position of the hand relative to the virtual handle assembly in response to determining that the hand is not making a gesture.   
     
     
         11 . The method as set forth in  claim 9 , further including the steps of:
 determining if an auto open gesture is being made;   transitioning from the gesture recognition mode state to a move member open state in response to determining that the hand is making an auto open gesture;   determining whether the closure member is open in the move member open state; and   transitioning to a member open state and back to the gesture recognition mode state in response to the closure member being open and in response to the NCOD system not being triggered.   
     
     
         12 . The method as set forth in  claim 9 , further including the steps of:
 determining if an auto close gesture is being made by the hand;   transitioning to a move closure member closed state and closing the closure member in response to determining the hand making an auto close gesture;   determining whether the closure member is closed in the move member closed state; and   transitioning to a member closed state and back to the gesture recognition mode state in response to the closure member being closed and in response to the NCOD system not being triggered.   
     
     
         13 . The method as set forth in  claim 9 , further including the steps of:
 determining if a follow mode gesture is being made by the hand;   transitioning to a follow mode state and moving the closure member in response to determining the hand is making a follow mode gesture; and   returning to the gesture recognition mode state in response to determining the hand is not making a follow mode gesture.   
     
     
         14 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , further including the steps of:
 determining whether the follow mode gesture is complete;   returning to the follow mode state in response to determining that the follow mode is not complete; and   returning to the gesture recognition mode state in response to determining that the follow mode is complete.   
     
     
         15 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , further including the steps of:
 initializing the follow mode in response to the virtual handle assembly detecting the hand;   determining whether the hand has been pulled away from the virtual handle assembly;   ending the follow mode in response to the hand being pulled away from the virtual handle assembly;   determining whether the hand is visible using a sensor of the virtual handle assembly;   determining if the hand is in a set point area of the virtual handle assembly in response to the hand being visible using the sensor;   returning to the step of determining whether the hand is visible using the sensor in response to the hand not being in the set point area;   transitioning to a set point state in response to the determination of the hand being in the set point area;   determining in the set point state whether the hand is moved to a push region relative to the virtual handle assembly;   transitioning to a drive motor close state in response to the determining that the hand is in the push region relative to the virtual handle assembly;   monitoring a distance the hand is from the virtual handle assembly in the drive motor close state and continually updating a drive speed of a motor based on the distance the hand is from the virtual handle assembly;   determining whether the hand is in a pull region in response to determining the hand is not in a push region;   transitioning to a drive motor open state in response to the determining that the hand is in the pull region relative to the virtual handle assembly; and   monitoring a distance the hand is from the virtual handle assembly in the drive motor open state and continually updating a drive speed of the motor based on the distance the hand is from the virtual handle assembly.   
     
     
         16 . The method as set forth in  claim 15 , further including the steps of:
 determining whether the closure member is latched; and   transitioning from a latched state to a release latch state and releasing a latch in response to the hand being pulled away from the virtual handle assembly.   
     
     
         17 . The method as set forth in  claim 15 , further including the steps of:
 determining whether a predetermined amount of time has passed in response to the hand not being visible using a sensor of the virtual handle assembly;   ending the follow mode in response to the passing of the predetermined amount of time; and   returning the step of determining whether the hand is visible using the sensor in response to the predetermined amount of time not passing.   
     
     
         18 . The method as set forth in  claim 17 , further including the steps of:
 returning to the step of determining whether a predetermined amount of time has passed in response to the hand not being visible by the sensor; and   returning to the set point state in response to determining the hand is not in a pull region.   
     
     
         19 . The method as set forth in  claim 15 , further including the steps of:
 determining whether the hand is visible by the sensor in response to the hand not being in the set point area;   returning to the step of monitoring the distance the hand is from the virtual handle assembly in the drive motor close state and continually updating a drive speed of a motor based on the distance the hand is from the virtual handle assembly in response to the hand being visible by the sensor; and   returning to the step of transitioning to the set point state in response to the hand being in the set point area.   
     
     
         20 . The method as set forth in  claim 15 , further including the steps of:
 determining whether the hand is visible by the sensor in response to the hand not being in the set point area;   returning to the step of monitoring a distance the hand is from the virtual handle assembly in the drive motor open state and continually updating a drive speed of a motor based on the distance the hand is from the virtual handle assembly in response to the hand being visible by the sensor;   returning to the step of transitioning to the set point state in response to the hand being in the set point area; and   returning to the step of determining whether a predetermined amount of time has passed in response to the hand not being visible by the sensor.   
     
     
         21 . A non-contact obstacle detection system for controlling movement of at least one closure member of a vehicle having an outside portion and an inside portion opposite the outside portion and movable between a closed position and an open position, comprising:
 a plurality of non-contact obstacle sensors each having a detection zone about at least one closure member and configured to be in one of an active mode and an inactive mode in response to the position of the at least one closure member for detecting obstacles near the at least one closure member;   a main electronic control unit adapted to connect to a power source and having a plurality of input-output terminals and coupled to said plurality of non-contact obstacle sensors and configured to:   determine movement of the at least one closure member between the closed position and the open position,   selectively switch each of the plurality of non-contact obstacle sensors between the active mode and the inactive mode based on the movement of the at least one closure member,   detect if the obstacles are detected using the plurality of non-contact obstacle sensors, and   cease movement of the at least one closure member and disable the system in response to the obstacles being detected.   
     
     
         22 . The non-contact obstacle detection system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein said plurality of non-contact obstacle sensors includes at least one non-contact obstacle sensor disposed on the outside portion of the at least one closure member and at least one non-contact obstacle sensor disposed on the inner portion of the at least one closure member and said main electronic control unit is further configured to switch the at least one non-contact obstacle sensor disposed on the outside portion of the at least one closure member to the inactive mode and switch the at least one non-contact obstacle sensor disposed on the inside portion of the at least one closure member the active mode in response to movement of the at least one closure member from the closed position to the open position. 
     
     
         23 . The non-contact obstacle detection system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein said plurality of non-contact obstacle sensors includes at least one non-contact obstacle sensor disposed on the at least one closure member and at least one non-contact obstacle sensor disposed remotely from the at least one closure member and said main electronic control unit is further configured to switch the at least one non-contact obstacle sensor disposed on the at least one closure member to the inactive mode and switch the at least one non-contact obstacle sensor disposed remotely from the at least one closure member to the active mode in response to movement of the at least one closure member. 
     
     
         24 . The non-contact obstacle detection system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein said plurality of non-contact obstacle sensors are disposed in positions of the vehicle selected from a group consisting of: a trim panel on the outside portion of the at least one closure member, behind a trim panel on the inside portion of the at least one closure member, a handle of the least one closure member, a window of the at least one closure member, an applique of the at least one closure member, and a bumper of the vehicle.